S o n g b i r d
by Magathon
Summary: Tori Ichida is a fourteen year old prodigy.  Probably the best musician in the world. When she and her best friend, Tansei, a messanger for the Fire Nation Navy, are forced to flee she meets the Avatar and takes an unforgettable journey. and finds herself
1. Chapter 1

Her fingers flew across the keyboard, striking every note and chord, breathing life into the ancient hall. She swayed to the music, singing along now and then. Her voice was a pure and blissful sound. It was the reason she was known as the Songbird of the Fire Nation, the Blossoming Flower of the West. Her prodigious skill was what kept her alive, without it she would have perished along with the others in the small Earth Kingdom village she had lived in. It was her gift, her curse.

"_Get the girl and then burn this dump to the ground!"_

_An elderly woman hid in the shadows, the quivering figure of a small girl was next to her. "They want to take you, Tori. Go now! You can be saved!" The woman whispered, softly urging the child out of the small crevice. "Grandmother, you have to come with me!" The girl pulled on the silky sleeve of her elders dress. "They do not want an old woman like me; they want a strong and talented child like you! Only you can be saved. Now go, my little Songbird!" The child hugged her grandmother one last time and then ran out of the small hut. _

"_Chan, I've got the girl. Let's get out of here."_

_The small girl sat on the army vehicle, watching her home burn to the ground. Tears streamed down her face. "Good-bye." She whispered._

"Tori, the Fire Lord has requested that you perform at the Royal Palace. Tori, are you there?" A boy waved his hands in front of her face. She looked around, her expression dazed and eyes clouded. "Oh, sorry Tansei, I was just daydreaming." The boy chuckled, his deep brown eyes sparkling. "I'm sensing the need to repeat myself." Tori growled at him and then sighed, "I suppose you will have to repeat what you said." Tansei smiled victoriously and then began, "Our great Fire Lord Ozai has requested that you, the lame Tori Ichida, perform at the Royal Palace for the opening of a new wing." Tori got up and gently closed the top of the piano. "Well, oh great messenger, inform the Fire Lord that I would be honored to perform at such an event." Tansei bowed and then replied, "I will inform him immediately." He turned and sprinted up the aisle of the music hall and out the door. "Come back here!" Tori screamed and then tore after him.

She pulled up her skirts and then sprinted across the velvet carpet, turning corners so sharply that she almost fell over. All of a sudden, Tansei was in front of her and they collided with a thud, falling to the ground. They both burst into a fit of laughter and then Tansei helped Tori get up. Tori smoothed his black hair so that it looked orderly. Then, she grabbed some pins and pulled her hair back into its silky bun. After a few minutes she managed to get every chocolate brown strand back in its place. The two hooked arms and then walked out of the music building. The duo headed towards the Ozai Academy for the Youth, the best school in the Fire Nation. A severe looking woman with her black hair pulled back into a bun at the nape of her neck, came bustling towards them. The two immediatley bowed to show their respect. "Well, have you finished practicing, Tori?" The woman looked at Tansei with hawk-like eyes, her face twisted into a disapproving expression. Tori nodded, "Yes, Madam Sunai." Madam Sunai looked pleased and then led Tori towards a noble looking building decorated with the Fire Nation insignia. "Tommorow we shall leave for Sugamashi. When we get there you will be able to prepare for your performance for the Fire Lord. I'm assuming _he _told you." Madam Sunai tilted her head towards Tansei. Tori nodded.

"Come along, you must finish your school work." The mistress needled Tori into the girls dormitories. Tori turned and waved good-bye to Tansei. The two females wove through gaggles of girls and finally stopped at a cozy looking dorm with large windows. It was rather luxurious compared to the other dorms. Large wooden mats stretched out across the floor and in the corner was a bookshelf filled with stack after stack of music. A large bed was in the other corner and there were two large mirrors and a vase of pink cherry blossoms. Tori sat on the bed and Madam Sunai started to braid Tori's long hair. "You know I don't approve of that boy, what's his name? Tanee or something. You are fourteen, and have great beauty. You're also the most talented musician in the world. You should be courting with Warriors not Messangers." She clucked her tongue impatiently. "Madam Sunai, I'm not courting with _Tansei_." She replied, putting extra emphasis on Tansei. "He's just a friend, and, you know, he's fourteen just like me. I don't care that he's a Messanger!"


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Okay, new chapter. This part will start of in Tansei's point of view. The literal translation of Tansei is 'handsome'. His character is supposed to be handsome. (o; Tori means 'bird' and her last name, Ichida, means 'branch of flowers'. They're in Japanese, by the way.

"All right, one of you will escort, Miss Ichida to Sugamashi. In case you uneducated slobs don't know what Sugamashi is, it's our capital and home of our great Fire Lord." General Koonon said, sneering at all of us 'uneducated slobs'. This reminded me of the time Tori and I had spotted two unidentified adults kissing in the back gardens. Tori seemed convinced it was General Koonon and Madame Sunai, her handler. I struggled not to choke down the hysterics that were swelling up inside me, threatening to explode. Probably not the best idea when a cranky, demoted general was in the room. I snorted and the general turned towards me in an instant, halting his boring speech.

"Do you have something you'd like to add?" His expression clearly annoyed, not bothering to call me by name, not that he knew it anyways. I put on a blank face and replied, "No, sir. I'm sorry if I caused any trouble, sir." He looked at me suspiciously and then continued his rant. "We are going to have a race. Whoever wins gets the honor of escorting Miss Ichida." He turned and marched out of the room, me and the other Messengers following him. I heard him mumble under his breathe something that sounded like, "None of you deserve too escort her in the first place…"

Renji smashed into me, throwing my back against a wall. He grabbed the maroon and red tie around my throat. "Don't get your hopes up. You're not going to win; Miss Ichida deserves someone better than you." He breathed into my ear and then released me, walking back to his spot in line. He had hated me since the day he found out I was born in the Earth Kingdom. Really, I was born in the Fire Nation colonies there. Well, it was that and the fact that I'm faster and stronger than him. He hated my guts, because I always got the best deliveries. Renji just can't live with being second-best

We went out of to the track. It had just been paved and was now a perfect asphalt circle. The general signaled for us to get in starting position. The stands had started to fill and we got ready to start.

"Tori, fix your skirts, you look so uncivilized." Madame Sunai hissed, as she huffed up the stairs of the stands behind me. I sighed and then smoothed the golden silk of my dress. The outside of the clothe felt soft and silky under my hands, unlike the inside. I squirmed uncomfortably in the corset I had been squeezed into and turned to watch the race. "I can't believe they made such a big deal about choosing my escort. He's going to protect me on the way there and back. He'll probably end up being my dance partner, too!" I huffed. Madame Sunai, on the other hand looked thrilled. "You should be happy! All this attention! I bet every boy wants to be your escort!"

The race started with a bang, the boys were going so fast they became blurred on the edges. I could see the top of Tansei's shaggy black head. He was right behind another boy with prickly brown hair. The boy elbowed Tansei, but he dodged it with agility. Tansei was up front now and the boy was trying to shove him. I was feeling angry now; all this pushing can't be allowed in the rules. I looked for the ref, who to my dismay seemed to be flirting with a young woman. I sighed and then turned my attention back to the race. I heard a whistle blow, the race was over. Oh no, I thought to myself frantically. Who had won?

But, before anyone could tell me I spotted Tansei, a defeated look on his face. The prickly haired boy stood beaming and when he spotted me, waved happily. I sighed, Tansei was going to be very unhappy about this.


End file.
